Some ride closures feel routine. This one doesn’t.
Guests planning early 2026 Disneyland trips are running into an uncomfortable realization as they check attraction calendars: Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is set to close on January 20, 2026, and there’s no reopening date attached. No estimated window. No “returning soon.” Just a start date—and a lot of unanswered questions.
That lack of clarity is what’s making this shutdown feel different.
Rise of the Resistance isn’t just popular. It’s foundational. For many guests, it’s the experience that defines Galaxy’s Edge and justifies the time, money, and effort it takes to visit Disneyland in the first place. Seeing it listed as closed indefinitely immediately changes how people think about their trips.
This attraction has always carried weight. From its debut, it was treated less like a ride and more like an event. It blended storytelling, massive physical environments, and technology in ways that hadn’t been attempted at this scale before. Guests didn’t just ride it—they moved through it, piece by piece, feeling like participants in a Star Wars story rather than observers.
That ambition is part of why the ride has always walked a fine line.
Over the years, Rise of the Resistance has gained a reputation for being both breathtaking and temperamental. Breakdowns, delayed openings, and partial effects have been common enough that many guests learned to expect some level of unpredictability. Still, the experience remained strong enough that people were willing to work around those issues.
One of the most visible challenges involved the battle scene laser cannons, which were designed to move dynamically. That effect was disabled for long stretches because it caused too much downtime. When Disneyland restored it during a refurbishment in early 2025, fans celebrated—not just because it looked better, but because it proved Disney was still investing in the ride’s original vision.
That history is what makes the 2026 closure feel ominous.
An indefinite shutdown suggests this isn’t about paint, lighting, or minor tweaks. It suggests deeper work. Possibly work that can’t be rushed.
For guests, the uncertainty is frustrating. Disneyland trips are planned far in advance, and Rise of the Resistance often sits at the center of those plans. Without knowing whether the ride will return in weeks or months, guests are forced to make decisions without reliable information.
Do you go anyway and accept the loss? Do you delay your trip? Do you hope Disney announces something soon?
Right now, Disney hasn’t filled in those blanks.
Galaxy’s Edge will remain visually impressive during the closure, but its emotional anchor will be missing. For first-time visitors especially, that absence may be felt sharply. And for longtime fans, there’s something deflating about walking past a closed attraction that once felt untouchable.
January 20, 2026 marks the beginning of the shutdown. What comes after remains unclear.
And until Disney says more, the unanswered questions may loom larger than the closure itself.
